What is a normal blood pressure reading, and how should you measure at home?
Under 120/80 is optimal; 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 is raised and worth acting on; 140/90 or above on repeated measurement generally indicates hypertension. Home measurement technique matters more than the device price: sit quietly for five minutes first, feet flat, back supported, arm at heart level, correct cuff size, no caffeine or exercise for thirty minutes before. Take two readings a minute apart and record both, ideally morning and evening for a week rather than one alarming reading. Use a validated upper-arm monitor — wrist devices are considerably less reliable.
Answers
Upper arm over wrist is worth stressing. I bought a wrist device and the readings were all over the place.
Sitting quietly for five minutes first changes my reading by nearly ten points. Nobody does this at a clinic either.